The Flourishing Lawyer: A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Performance and Well-Being

 Heidi K. Brown's "lawyer-as-performer" model in "The Flourishing Lawyer: A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Performance and Well-Being" suggests that lawyers can benefit from viewing themselves as performers. Afterall, the parallels are many; We both engage in complex tasks, activities and maneuvers, in roles that can be cognitively, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically taxing (p.xlix). Brown suggests that we relabel these realities, not as weaknesses, but instead as challenges that can be overcome through deliberate multifaceted practice and preparation.

This model underpins the entirety of Browns book, emphasizing that lawyers should continuously work on developing their skills and abilities in order to perform at the highest level. 

Importantly, viewed through the similar "lawyer-as-athlete" metaphor, which acknowledges that performance decreases where exhaustion and devaluation increases, Brown suggests a paradigm shift. When athletes struggle to perform, they are not simply expected to 'fix it'. Through various coaching and training resources, they recalibrate, break down and untangle the problem, understand what is wrong, and why, and take steps to correct it. In the same way that athletes or performers seek help for mental health, emotional health, or for performance issues -- and are not looked down upon for it -- so too should lawyers. 

While traditional models of legal practice tend to exclusively emphasize development in a specific practice area, this model also recognizes the importance of self-care and stress management in maintaining optimal performance. Lawyers must take care of their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being in order to perform at their best. The lawyer-as-athlete model emphasizes that lawyers must care for their bodies and minds as athletes do. This requires regular exercise, proper nutrition, sufficient rest, and effective stress management, with Brown even including breathing techniques (p. 94).

By embracing the lawyer-as-performer or lawyer-as-athlete model, lawyers can become more effective in their work, better able to handle challenges, and more fulfilled in their professional lives.

The Flourishing Lawyer: A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Performance and Well-Being  Heidi K. Brown.  2022, Book , 420 pages     ISBN: 9781639050253, 9781639050949